Quick List: Number your paper 1-11. Numbers 1-2: two ways you like to spend your time. Numbers 3-4: two things you like that others might not like. Numbers 5-6: two things that people are talking about. Number 7-8: two TV shows you are watching or books you are reading. Numbers 9-10: two things others like but you don't. Number 11: Anything on your mind. Star the items you are ready to write about.
Schedule of My Day (from Donald Graves): Jot down what you did on a recent day, including the approximate times. Mark "A" beside each topic that you have an opinion about or could find an argument about.
Writing Sprints: Look at your lists; select a topic to write about. Write for a quick sprint of 1-2 minutes. (Leave space on the page if you think you might return to the writing later.) Select another topic with another sprint. Try a third sprint.
Writing Territories (from Nanci Atwell) are the lists of topics you could possibly write about. Atwell provides many broad topics including memories, obsessions, problems, accomplishments, fears, failures, worries, friends then and now, favorites. Write some specific ideas under the broad headlines in order to develop some quick lists. Code the list with "A" for topics that lend themselves to argument writing.
Making Claims at a Glance: Use photos as text. This strategy helps students see themselves as observers of the world, generates thoughts around a topic, and demonstrates how quickly we form opinions. Take one minute to observe the photo and two minutes to write about a claim that can be made about the image.
Additional resources for Video Games informal argument mini-unit
An 11 year old says he hates video games -- podcast and written text Third graders react to video games tracking their play; includes a podcast and some of the letters they wrote
TED Talk "Your Brain on Video Games"
Link to the NWP site. It includes all of last year's mini-units.
August 29, 2015
Additional resources for Video Games informal argument mini-unit
An 11 year old says he hates video games -- podcast and written text
Third graders react to video games tracking their play; includes a podcast and some of the letters they wrote
TED Talk "Your Brain on Video Games"
They Say, I Say templates
Writing Marathon Handout
See the "Brain Breaks" document for "Harry Just Got Back"
October 16, 2015